Crismon Elementary School

Crismon is a diverse school in a diverse neighborhood, however, there are plenty of nice families of all ethnicities here. I see more young families and even young couples moving into houses, walking dogs, jogging etc..than I did even five years ago. If you have a problem with diversity and having your children being around kids of other socio-economic and ethnic groups, then you will be uncomfortable with this assortment of children and parents. I have seen children being brought up to a higher level and not other children being brought down. The teachers do an excellent job of setting the climate and expectations that all students follow. Mesa can't keep doing the same things and expecting a different outcome-that's insanity. Staff and programs may change, but it is important to keep up with other districts who are better at changing with the times and not so hell-bent on keeping the status-quo. This is a time of change. Crismon's facilities are comparable, if not better than other area schools, all classes have technology-computers, document cameras, projectors, Smart Boards and the school building and grounds are always clean when I am there.
--Submitted by a parent

We are moving, and one of the big reasons we decided to was, 1- the neighborhood, and 2- the school.. we did not want our second daughter to start at this school. The teachers themselves, are good, they are genuine people who care, the district itself is in bad shape, budget cuts have left the teachers with little but outdated tools to teach our children.. my daughter had 3 children in her Kindergarten class who could not even speak English.I feel the teachers are over worked trying to bring these children up to the same level,this sometimes shows in frustration and inability to really listen to the children. My daughter was "punished" for talking because the little boy next to her in class could not understand the directions and was asking her for help.. so she would help him and then be punished and labled the troublemaker.. to me this is unnacceptable. It made her feel terrible and a bright child who once loved school, became discouraged by the constant negative comments from the teacher. I disagree with the possitive vibe one said you get from this school. It feels dated, old, dirty, ill equiped, crammed, and overall just not what I want my child to be in 6 hours a day.
--Submitted by a parent

I'm nervous to see how the school year will go this year. A lot of kids came in with really low levels, I found the teachers having to accommodate the kids who couldn't hit the mark, and the ones that did were not challenged enough. Discipline problems were not dealt with at a satisfactory time frame, and my child suffered with bullies. I am giving it one more year, because we moved from a private school to come here, and I don't want to have to uproot my children one more time.
--Submitted by a parent

I would love to know who did the reveiw March 28, 2011. I couldn't have said it better myself. We live in the neighborhood but just transferred our child to a Gilbert school. The office people and the teachers are wonderful. Unfortunately, they have too many things stacked against them to effeciently run their classrooms. Mesa District has made too many cuts causing the quality of Crismon to deteriorate.
--Submitted by a parent

My daughter had 2-6 grades here, my son 2-4th so far. It has always been the best of the best. This year the other local school was absorbed now in my sons class there are 32 to 1 ratio! They can not even moved the chair without bumping into the kid behind them. This wonderful school with it's wonderful staff is being ruined by MPS to conserve costs by closing the other school. The new kids have not had the disciplinary (trust,responsibility, academics, citizenship kindness, safety), methods and are in large part rather disruptive. My son is asking to change schools this year. Being a rather high IQ kid he is left in the dust. Behavior is suffering as he is just so frustrated. The poor teacher has to repeat herself so much that lessons are not able to be taught without kids staying in at recess. Hardened kids are now here from other schools.
--Submitted by a parent

The new principal is fantastic!!
--Submitted by a parent

My grandson was in Y-K last year. This year he is in all day K and I am VERY pleased with everything this school has to offer.

My son went to Crismon for 8yrs. My daughter is on her 3rd year. I think the teachers and the entire staff are wonderful! They are very caring and will always take the time to listen and help anyway they can. I would never consider another school for my children.
--Submitted by a parent

I am a parent of a pre-schooler. She's 4 and has had the privilege of having the same pre-K teacher for the second year. The school is wonderful and so are the teachers. We drive 1/2 hour so she can be a part of this great team.
--Submitted by a parent

What a great school! Our son attended his kindergarten and 1st grade years at Crismon. We were so pleased. Mrs. Acklin and Mrs. Hinkle were both so careing and understanding to the needs of each child. I recommend Crismon to anyone, those with special needs and those without. Thanks Crismon for being such a great school!
--Submitted by a parent